WAIKOUAITI COUNTY COUNCIL.

Otago Witness, Issue 1584, 1 April 1882, Page 22

WAIKOUAITI COUNTY COUNCIL.

, The, usual meeting of the Council was held yesterday, 1 there,, being present: Messrs James Green, (in the chair), H. Orbell, J. Crickmore, ' J. I)jincan, J. M'ltenzie, J. Eraser, and ;M. Todd. ' . . : . , FINANCE. • I- - The Finance Committee's report was road, and considerable discussion took place over {the firßt clause, running ' as follows, which was 'deleted :— " Your Committee having considered the "statement of an estimate of ' the proposed .expenditure during 'the current year, herewith •submitted for 'the approval of the Council, recommends—-'. That a general rate of j- in the- pound for the 1 year ending 31st March, 1888, be declared.'" -The deletion was made ■on purpose that the consideration of the q&es'tion Bhould take ,pla.ce in Committee of jthe whole Council, "the result being, that after a long! discussion in Committee (all .the members expressing their opinions), ' and motions find counter-motionst'being tabled, a motion by, Cr Donoan — " That' ''the, rate be, 'for year endtag 31st Mareh',,lBB3, 9d in'the pound;"— -was ■carried.,'/,;. ; \ ' i '■ , The estimate of revenue and,- expenditure :was laid upon the table. The principal items of estimated expenditure were^:— Overdraft at 'bank, £750;- surfacing, £1000; liabilities on' "contracts, £173 18s ; salaries, £600; travel ing Jjakpfluaefl-PtCQHft^^.^lSO.; , rQad.iormat} on, £1000 ; bridges, £350. The principal items of estimated *eyitoiie werelfrjiicenses, £GO7 i.Os'j dog ta^£l^%ol<|.duty,/£ : 2()0/; goldfieldd revenue, £150. The. additional" sum required to meet expenditure was £3047 5s 3d. AcQounts'for the month, amounting to $189 15s lid. were .recommended to be passed for Thej^eport,/urt|ie)r stated^thfttt^e Committee haa, v had -, un^er'' itsj , consideration .certain^ ac- ' counts for expenses incurred' by the.returhing- ' officers at fhe 'late" elections pf 4 ' .licensing ,com- , mittftes,within;the county, I , which appeared to 'the'iQbmmit'tee to be 'so, exorbitant that they ' considered the ,'G^6yernmen,t's attention sh6u|ld be drawn tb,it. ! by ajcopy of said accounts, b^ing fp'rwtffiued; » n 4 ?' request that the accounts . .Bhoiijid'be amended so as to admit iof ( the.elec-^ tions ''being .carried' p,uib' by an, officer','(bfi the' ''' c'b^niy.',',trnaer' clause,, s3, of, "The, Eicenping ' 'A"cti,lBBi£' two 'Oc>«aioij,]bad,no pption bt.t to 1 ' pay the 'expense's 'cer^ifiedV as! correc|b by the chairmen of, .the ', licensing committees,' or the Cojn'^itte^^voul^.have ,made ( a'differ'ent recommendatibn. "',;''' • ' ' , • ,;/', , ( ','; „inspec[tor's reports, ,j ,•, • '''.'in accojdance'TYiJih .reports by , the inspector, , „Beveral,pmisl .wqrks.were ordered to.be dohe-7- , one ion \s,, road thr.ee miles below PortQhal- , merSy p.nd. another ,on, ithe > road known , as Bor-rowmanlSjlTprth-llast Valley. , J One, of the, reports stated that about £15 of the'dbgiiax had Men paid into the Palmerston Borough; 'which clearly was county revenue. The' inspector 1 had made personal application for the' amount', but consideration of the matter had been adjudged; to, stand over until next meeting of 'Borough Council. ' j ■ One report also' referred to Mr Johnstone's letter abo\ittheroadtorailway-station. Thelast clause'b'f'the' report was given effect to— viz., that the hole be filled in, at a cost of £0. j „ Another report stated that the piece of toad referred' to ''in Mr ; Matheson's letter (Shingly • Creek 1 ) had' been measured, and that there was no necessity f6r the piece known asthelnew road," adjoining 'section 11, containing aboutfivp acres. ■ £12 10s would be about a fair value •'for tjfie" 'five acres.— The Council ordered steps, to be taken ',t6' close the road through section 11, block lII, Highlay district. PETITION. A petition was received from 38 residents of Waihemb and district, requesting that' the ' Council Wtrald be good enough to have the tax on dog's' used'f or killing rabbits lowered to the sum ■of 2s 6d'pdr dog on four dogs ; over that number the tax to,oe as' usual.— After discussion, orithe'mofiioti of Cr Duncan, seconded by Cr Orbell; it' Vas resolved—" That the cleric of this Council reply to the ratepayers in jWai- ' h'emo with regard to the petition in 'reference to rabbit-dog's, informing them that the rabbit inspector is the person to make the application to.", 1 ' ' '' ' CORRESPONDENCE. , ' The outward correspondence was read and approved. ' A circular from the Southland County Coun•cil was read, pointing out that substantial revonue should accrue to councils from .Government subsidies and land revenue. Or Orbell moved — " That the circular from tli'e Southland County Council, dated 18th [February,' be received, and a reply sent that this Council is willing to approve of clause 2 — viz., the granting of a fair proportion of the land revenue. "—Carried. Mr' John Moir, clerk to the Maori Hill " Borough Council, wrote for statement of debits and credits between that Council and the Lite North-Bast Valley Road Board. Cr Criokmore moved— "That proceedings b_ taken to recover the interest from the Maori Hill Borough due to this Council, in terms of Dr Knight's award re the North-East Valley Road Board accounts." — Seconded by Or M'Kenzie, and carried. ' Messrs Q. and J. A. Cook, solicitors, Dun- " edin, wrote stating that unless satisfactory arrangements could be come to prior to 12th \!' next, steps would be taken to close road

-which correspondence referred to.— Moved, by -Or Oriokjioßß^" That this Council cannot be held responsible for a dispute said toexist ,between the Government and Colonel Kitchener before the existence of this Council, and while it re°rets that any such action should be rendered necessary, it will certainly havetokeep said road open as one under its junsdicA* letter was read from Mr Cowan rcroad through sections 7 and 4, block 111, ISiorfch Harbour and Blueskin district.— Resolved— " That consideration of the letter be deferred till next meeting." SPECIAL MEETING. The next meeting of Council was fixed for 28th April, a special meeting to be held prior to the ordinary meeting to confirm resolution regarding the rate paased at this meeting. ,